Monday, 6 July 2015

Wicklow Garda Division to get six new Gardaí when they graduate from Templemore

Wicklow Sinn Féin County Councillor and General Election candidate welcomed an announcement by Chief Superintendent Patrick Mangan that the Wicklow Garda Division is to get six new Gardaí when they graduate from Templemore at the end of July. The announcement was made at a meeting of the Wicklow Joint Policing Committee on Monday. Brady stated however that this is only a fraction of the Gardaí that are needed to tackle the rise in crime levels across Wicklow.

Speaking after the meeting Councillor Brady said “Whilst I welcome the news that Wicklow is to get six new Gardaí when they graduate from Templemore at the end of July. I am very conscious however that this is only a fraction of the Gardaí that are needed to tackle serious crime such as burglaries across Wicklow which are up 29% on this time last year”.

“Fine Gael and Labour have presided over a recruitment embargo which has seen the numbers in the Gardaí significantly drop since 2008, when the embargo was first introduced by Fianna Fáil. Wicklow unfortunately didn’t receive any new Gardaí in the last batch of recruits to pass out in Templemore earlier this year, we will however receive six new Gardaí at the end of July which is a start, but realistically well below the numbers needed” continued Brady.

He went on to say “Under this Government we have seen up to 100 Garda stations close across the state, including two in Wicklow, Donard and Hollywood, so when it comes to policing in Wicklow this Government has been very poor. The only way to fight crime is to have more visible Gardaí on the ground. The recruitment of six new Gardaí for the entire Wicklow Division is welcome, but it is only a fraction of what’s needed”.